Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords
It is crucial to remember that it is only landlords who are responsible for gas safety inspections. gas safety certificate grace period is true for landlords of residential dwellings and those who rent rooms or holiday accommodations.
Landlords must demonstrate that the pipes and flues, as well as appliances, within their properties are safe before putting them up for sale. Gas safety certificates can help in achieving this.
What is a gas safety certification?
Whether you're a landlord or homeowner, you need to follow the law when it comes to keeping your gas appliances and installations in good functioning order. That's why every property owner should obtain their gas safety certificate at least once per year. What exactly is a gas safety certification? Who needs one?
Gas Safe Certificates, also called Landlord Gas Safety Record are official documents issued by a Gas Safe engineer who has completed a full inspection of your rental property's gas appliances and flues. The engineer will also ensure that the ventilation passages of your property are free of obstruction to avoid the build-up of carbon monoxide, which is a danger.
The Gas Safe Certificate will provide you with the results of your annual inspection. It will list each of the inspected gas appliances and installations, along with their model, make and the location of your property. The engineer will then state whether they found the appliance to be safe to use or not, and will detail any work that needs to be completed to ensure the security of your tenants.
You must provide your Landlord Gas Safety Certificate to your tenants within 28 days following the service. You must also give it to new tenants when they begin their tenancy. If you don't comply, you could face charges or fines.
Even though homeowners don't need a Gas Safety Certificate to live safely, it is still recommended to obtain one each year. This will not only set your mind at rest about the condition of your gas and heating appliances, but can also help you detect any issues in advance. This can save you lots of money and hassle in the long run.
Gas Safety Certificates are beneficial to potential buyers when you're selling your home. They can prove that you have taken care of all your gas appliances and installations. It also speeds up the conveyancing as it doesn't require additional inspections.
Who requires an attestation of gas safety?
As an owner, it is your responsibility to ensure that all gas appliances and flues within your rental property are safe for your tenants. You'll need to schedule regular inspections by a Gas Safe registered technician to make sure that everything is operating correctly.
After the inspection has been completed and you're ready to get an original copy of your Gas Safety Certificate to give to your tenants. Ideally, this will be completed prior to when your tenants move in or at the beginning of any new tenancies. Keep the copy for yourself, as well as records of any maintenance done to the gas appliances in your home.
Landlords are legally obliged to have their properties checked for gas safety at a minimum every 12 months. This applies to all properties that have gas appliances owned by the landlord, as well as any appliances that are provided to tenants.
If you are a landlord with an official certificate of gas safety, you may face heavy fines (upto PS6,000) or legal actions from your tenants, or even criminal charges. The greatest risk is that a tenant may be injured or even killed by faulty appliances in your rental home.
The only people who are qualified to conduct an Gas Safety Check are Gas Safe engineers. Only Gas Safe engineers are trained to inspect, service and test appliances and installations in a safe way. Landlords are able to check if an engineer is registered with the Gas Safe Register by checking their ID card. It has a unique Hologram.
It is rare for a tenant not to permit access to the rental property to perform the Gas Safety Check. However it happens. In these situations it is crucial that the landlord explains to the tenant why this is a mandatory obligation and how harmful carbon monoxide could be if it is not detected on time.
If a tenant still won't allow an engineer to enter their home The landlord should consider giving them a Section 21 notice to end their tenancy. This should be accompanied by a description of the reason they're being evicted, such as non-payment of rent or significant damage to the property.
How do I get an gas safety certification?
A gas safety certificate is necessary for landlords to prove that their rented properties meet government regulations. Some tenants will not allow a gas engineer to enter their residence for this reason, which is frustrating for landlords. Landlords must ensure that tenants are aware that gas engineers aren't spying and that they are only required to access their homes to complete a legally required document. This will help reduce the number of tenants who deny access to gas inspections.
Once the gas engineer has carried out the necessary checks and is satisfied that the appliances are safe for use they will issue an Landlord Gas Safety Record document. It is also known as a CP12, which stands for CORGI Proforma 12. homeowner gas safety certificate was once the Council for Registered Gas Installers, but was replaced in April 2009 by the Gas Safe Register.
The landlord must give copies to their current tenants within 28 days (about 4 weeks) after the check has been completed. A new tenant will be provided with a copy when signing the tenancy contract. The landlord should also ensure that a carbon monoxide detector has been installed in every room used as living space that has fixed combustion appliances (excluding gas cookers) and that smoke alarms are connected to every storey of the property. Landlords can get more information on these requirements, including free leaflets and an Approved Code of Practice for the management of gas Installations and Appliances in the rental Property (Appendix 3), on the HSE website.
If a landlord is unable to gain access to their property to conduct the required gas safety checks, they can apply for a section 21 notice if necessary to evict tenants. A notice of section 21 is only valid if the landlord has made at least three unsuccessful attempts to gain access to the property for the gas safety test and kept records of those attempts. If a landlord does not follow the correct procedure for entry and then tries to evict their tenants by illegal means, they may be accused of harassment and could face substantial fines from regulatory bodies.
Why do I require a gas safety certificate?
Landlords need to have a gas safety certificate to ensure that the home they rent out is safe for tenants to live in. This means they must get regular checks done by a registered gas engineer to ensure that the appliances are safe to use. Also, they must ensure that the gas pipes, appliances and flues are all in good working order.
This will prevent any accidents, fires or carbon monoxide poisoning that can result from faulty equipment. It is essential that landlords stay up to date with their Gas Safety certificates, as they could be penalized for not doing so.
Landlords must be able to prove that their annual gas safety inspection was carried out in a timely manner. They can prove this by checking their Gas Safe register online, or by obtaining an original copy of the most recent certificate from the engineer who inspected the property. The landlord must fix any appliances that are unsafe or defective immediately to ensure the safety of the tenant.
Some landlords have difficulty convincing their tenants to grant access to their properties in order to conduct gas safety inspections. This could be due to a variety of reasons, including the fact that they feel it's an invasion of privacy, or they are currently in dispute with their landlord. It is a good idea to have the landlord write a letter in which he explains why a gas safety check is necessary and what it will entail. This can be sent by recorded delivery and should give the tenant 14 days to reply.
If the tenant continues to refuse to give access to the landlord then they should consider taking additional steps. This could include drafting a Section 21 notice or applying to the court for an injunction that will force the tenant to allow access. This is a serious decision that should only be considered as an option last option.